Now, having said that, it seems like we chose the most difficult path and many will surely say that we could have gone to Vietnam at any time and arrived in less than 24 hours, but the journey is always as important as the destination. We fulfilled this dream: to arrive in Vietnam.
We decided to stay 10 days in Vietnam and visit 6 of the most beautiful and well-known places in the entire country. It was a pretty intense trip, filled with waking up before sunrise, domestic flights, boat rides, soups eaten on street corners, slaloming among scooters and quiet walks along the seashore.
We managed to see more girls from the same country, interact with people and even watch the World Cup final together with thousands of people from all over the world. Of course, we tried the local cuisine and were one step closer to learning how to say coriander in Vietnamese (“không có rau mười” for those who are not friends with this plant) because no matter what we ordered, coriander was there.
We had the opportunity to discover a new country and turn a dream into reality. If you are also preparing to visit this country for the first time, we have prepared for you a travel guide for Vietnam, which includes everything we did and saw in those ten days. We are talking about the itinerary, excursions and tourist attractions, about transportation, visas and accommodation, and last but not least about prices and budget.
Vietnam Travel Guide
How to get a tourist visa for Vietnam?
- E-visa – We chose this option because we didn’t want to have any hassle. We were going to arrive in Da Nang at 3-4 in the morning, and after two extremely busy days in New Delhi, all we wanted was to get to the hotel as quickly as possible. So, just 4 weeks before, we applied for an e-visa. The e-visa for Vietnam is very easy to obtain, and the steps you need to follow are: access this website, upload a photo of the passport data page and a “passport-type” photo, fill in your travel details, pay the visa fee (=25 USD) and note the registration code. Three days later, access the same website, in the “status” section, enter your details and registration code and find out if you have received the visa (you will receive it anyway). The visa is downloaded, printed and put in your luggage.
- Visa-on-arrival – for VOA you need an approval letter that can be obtained online (there are dozens of websites and agencies that offer this service). Upon arrival, to receive the visa, you must present the letter (in physical format) and pay a visa fee of 25 USD. Now, it is said that some people are exempt from paying the visa fee, but I have not found any official information. However, I know people who have not paid the 25 USD, so I don’t think it’s just a rumor.
Transport
Since there are no direct flights from Europe to Vietnam, the easiest option is to fly with a stopover in Dubai. We opted for a direct flight from New Delhi to Da Nang, which is again an excellent idea if you want to make a 2-3 day stopover in New Delhi.
Regarding domestic transport (Vietnam is a long country, and the distances between the main cities are enormously large), we chose the plane again. Domestic flights are extremely cheap, VietJet and Bamboo being two low cost companies that operate dozens of flights daily to and from every major city in Vietnam. We chose Vietnam Airlines, and for the Da Nang – Hanoi and Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh flights we paid 27 and 54 euros, respectively.
In the city we tried to use public transport, but there was not much need to use any means of transport. We chose accommodation in the central areas of the city, which allowed us to walk…as we like. For transportation to and from the airport, we used both Grab and the bus. In Da Nang, we used Grab, and generally a trip from the airport to the city center costs an average of 3 USD (the airport is right in the city).
- Da Nang Airport = 3 USD (Grab)
- Hanoi – the airport is located about 30 km from the city center = 45,000 VND (1.50 euros)/bus and 360,000 VND (14 euros)/Grab
- Ho Chi Minh = 5,000 VND (0.20 euros)/bus for locals
In Da Nang we did two excursions, one to Hoi An and another to Ba Na Hills. Both locations are about 30 minutes by car from Da Nang, and the cheapest way to get there is by scooter. Both routes are extremely easy to travel, and the experience itself is amazing.
We rented a scooter from the hotel (but you can find scooters for rent on every corner), and for a single day we paid 5 USD. In addition to the rental cost, we also calculate the fuel – about 20,000 VND/liter (0.70 euros)
Accommodation
During the ten days, we had a total of 4 accommodations. In Da Nang, we booked this hotel for 2 nights (at that time the price was 14 euros/night/double room) and this hotel for which we paid only 8 euros/night/double room. Both had an excellent location, cleanliness, hot water and breakfast included. For the accommodation in Hanoi, we opted for an apartment, and in Ho Chi Minh we stayed in this hotel.
We tried to choose accommodations as central as possible, so as not to depend on public transport or Grab. In general, we try to choose accommodations in the city center and that every time we pay attention to reviews and try as much as possible to book accommodations with a rating above 7.5. Accommodation for 10 nights cost us 170 euros/2 people (17 euros/night).
Itinerary for 10 days in Vietnam
We started our trip through Vietnam, in Da Nang. Although we could have chosen Hanoi, for no particular reason we thought of going to the center of Vietnam, to the sea, first. It was only when we arrived in Da Nang that we realized that the decision we made was a wise one, Da Nang being a quieter city, which really helped us relax after the two hectic days in India.
Being located on the seashore, we took full advantage of the walks on the cliff, among the palm trees, and the moments of peace. Surprisingly, in December Da Nang was almost deserted.
On the beach you could still see fishermen or a group of two or three locals, the restaurants were mostly empty, and we didn't really meet any tourists, at least not European tourists. What's more, we had started our trip to Southeast Asia in an absolutely wonderful place.
Accommodation in Da Nang
Initially, I booked this hotel, where I stayed for the first two nights. The hotel was close to the beach, offered breakfast (I didn't know that traditional breakfast in Asia is all cooked food, all noodles with vegetables or even soups) and the room had a sea view. Then, for the third night, I booked a hotel 1 km away, also close to the beach, a 4-star hotel, for which I paid only 8 euros/triple room. Both hotels were decent, but if I had to choose again, I would probably opt for the latter.
Transportation
The main reasons why I chose Da Nang are The Golden Gate Bridge and Hoi An. They were on our list (and I think they are on everyone's list), and both are 30 km from Da Nang. When it comes to transportation, I made a couple of mistakes, but I also made two good decisions. First, I organized the transfer from the airport to the hotel through the hotel reception.
We were supposed to arrive in Da Nang at 4am and didn’t want to have any more hassle, and that cost us $10. When we left for the airport three days later, we took a Grab and paid $3. Then, to get to Hoi An, we took another Grab. The public transport option came with a much too long travel time, and we weren’t going to waste time. For a round trip with Grab, we paid 28 euros (about 12-16 euros/30 km).
To get to the famous “The Golden Bridge” we had to go 30 km, to one of the most important tourist attractions in Vietnam, the Ba Na Hills park. But this time we rented a scooter and went there, with Sebi at the wheel and me as luggage hanging on his back and with Google Maps in hand.
Although my scooter experience in Mexico didn't make me want to do it again, it seemed like riding a scooter in SE Asia needed to be on my bucket list. I knew we wouldn't be able to do it in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City due to the crowds, but I saw the perfect opportunity in Da Nang. So, I rented a scooter from the hotel for $5 (I could probably find it cheaper) and hit the road.
Scootering in Vietnam
I have to dedicate a whole paragraph to this experience because it is one of my favorites. I left Da Nang, full of emotions and a little overwhelmed by the city traffic. It was quite difficult for me to stay relaxed and at the same time guide Sebi, to figure out where to go.
But once we left the city, there was a straight road of about 20 km, through nature, and there I relaxed and enjoyed the trip. We went extremely slowly, waving to people working on the side of the road, but also to those who passed us. You could see from a distance that we were tourists. It was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had!
In terms of budget, transportation in Da Nang and the surrounding area cost us a little less than 50 euros/for both of us.
Itinerary and tourist attractions
Day 1 – Hoi An
Hoi An is one of the most beautiful cities in Vietnam, and if you are looking for a top of the “best places to visit in Vietnam”, Hoi An is in the top three. And rightly so! The old town is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and is simply a gem.
Narrow streets and houses colored in shades of yellow, cafes and restaurants beautifully placed both on the ground floor and on the first floor of gorgeous houses, shops and markets, street food stalls and hundreds of lanterns that decorate the city, all of this makes Hoi An not only an extremely photogenic place, but the kind of place that you would love to get to know, to take each of its streets at a glance.
We did this for a whole day. We walked from morning to evening, watched the light and lantern show on the riverbank, tried various foods in the Hoi An night market and let ourselves be dragged into all sorts of shops by some nice Vietnamese people who wanted to dress us. In Hoi An, one of the biggest businesses is the textile business.
There you can have your dresses made to order or even suits and shoes. All you have to do is choose the model and at the end of the day take your order. In general, a full suit for men costs between 60 and 100 USD, and a dress costs an average of 15 USD.
Another popular activity in Hoi An is a boat ride after sunset. It's a whole ritual, you buy a lantern, get on the boat, and at a certain point you launch the lantern into the water, with a well-spoken wish in mind. We didn't do this, but it's by far one of the most important tourist attractions.
Also on Instagram, I often saw those perfect pictures, with a background of colorful lanterns, which I thought were found everywhere in Hoi An and that taking a successful picture depends on the photographer's skills of the travel partner. Well, those places are actually two or three beautifully arranged stalls, where you have to stand in line, pay a fee (like 5 dollars, I don't remember exactly) and take a picture.
We tried to take a picture of the location, but before I could raise the camera, a little Vietnamese woman jumped on me and said the classic "noooo! MONEY!".
Vietnam is also a destination for gourmets, and Hoi An boasts a few dishes that I encourage you to try. Cao Lau is one of the most representative dishes in Hoi An and consists of noodles with pork or shrimp. To me it seemed extremely similar to pad Thai. But one of the most famous dishes in Vietnam, also originated in Hoi An.
We are talking about Banh Mi sandwiches that can be found absolutely every 100 meters, in absolutely every city in Vietnam. The traditional Vietnamese sandwich consists of a baguette crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside (the best breads ever), pate, pork, vegetables (carrots and green papaya) and coriander. A sandwich costs between 30,000 and 70,000VND.
Day 2 – Ba Na Hills
Ba Na Hills is one of the most famous tourist attractions in the entire country, annually gathering over 2 million visitors.
This theme park that breaks record after record and which is constantly expanding (we saw at least three construction sites, future attractions), is the one that includes the famous bridge, The Golden Bridge (the bridge supported by two giant hands or "one of the most photographed bridges in the world"), some gardens, France Village and a resort, for those who want to stay overnight.
However, if you want to visit the entire park in one day, I recommend you leave Da Nang as early as possible, definitely by scooter, and if possible choose a clear day.
A few things to know before visiting Ba Na Hills Theme Park:
When you search for “Ba Na Hills” on Google Maps, you’ll find at least three different addresses (one of which involves a two-hour scooter ride :D), but after a lot of research, I found the address at the main entrance. Here you can find the address. There’s a free, guarded scooter park right at the park entrance.
But to get to Ba Na Hills, you have to take the longest cable car route in the world (5,771 meters), with the longest and heaviest cable (11,587m/141.24 tons) at the highest altitude difference between the departure station and the destination station (1,369 meters). And the landscapes are absolutely gorgeous, and if you catch a clear day, I’m sure they’ll leave you speechless. The weather was kind to us and gave us three hours without rain, but the fog still bothered us. Luckily, we were able to enjoy the cable car ride and the scenery.
The entrance fee and cable car rides cost 750,000 VND (approx. 30 USD), and to enjoy this place, choose a day with good weather, sunshine and clear skies.
Ba Na Hills is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the entire country, it has a total of five cable lines, and the park’s attractions are located on two different levels. On the lower level are the Golden Bridge, Linh Ung Pagoda, the wine cellar and a few gardens and restaurants. While on the upper level are the rest of the attractions, including the French Village, Fantasy Park, a peaceful spiritual area with various religious establishments and many restaurants.
We found it quite complicated, precisely because of its positioning on several levels, but we managed to see all the places that were open at that time. Due to unfavorable weather conditions (fog and wind), many locations or attractions are closed.
But Ba Na Hill is fantastic, and that day was by far one of our favorites. It is exactly the kind of place that you should not miss if you end up in Vietnam.
Day 3 – Da Nang
Da Nang (the city) doesn’t have many tourist attractions, but there are two places that stand out. The first is the Dragon Bridge which offers a light, fire and water show every evening at 8pm. This bridge is located in a nice and lively area, and there is a night market nearby every evening.
The second place is My Khe beach and the palm-lined cliff. There are many restaurants on the beach, as well as a few beach bars.
Hanoi
After three fairly quiet days in central Vietnam, we arrived in Hanoi. Just as we had read online, the capital of Vietnam also has its winter, and the tourist who visits Southeast Asia in winter will be extremely surprised by the climatic differences between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, for example.
In Hanoi, we had the first apartment where we were cold and the second where we did not have hot water at our disposal, but these are the things we overlook on vacation, the ones that ultimately do not influence the trip in any way.
I stayed in Hanoi for 4 days, more than enough time for a trip to Ha Long Bay, but also to visit the city. The fact that I came from Da Nang, contributed a lot to the way I perceived and saw the capital.
A crowd of people and shops, entire sidewalks occupied by all kinds of products, improvised restaurants and scooters, a permanent noise, a dirtier city and a million flags with symbols that reminded us that we were still visiting the People's Republic of Vietnam.
Hanoi, although we now tend to remember only what was good and beautiful, we did not like it. However, it showed us another side of the country, one that we did not see in Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh, which only demonstrates how diverse this country is.
Accommodation in Hanoi
Although the apartment we had was in a great location and clean, we cannot recommend it. As I said, it was extremely cold in the apartment and we only had enough hot water for very short showers. If you think these things don't bother you or if you arrive in Hanoi at other times of the year, then the apartment is perfect. Its price was 20 euros/night.
Transportation
The only times I needed transportation was to get to and from the airport. There are express buses that leave right in front of the Terminal/Arrivals area, and in less than an hour you can reach the Old Quarter. A bus ticket costs 45,000 vnd (1.50 euros). At the same time, a Grab ride costs approx. 360,000 vnd (14 euros).
Itinerary and tourist attractions
The main reason we came to northern Vietnam and also the highlight of our trip to this country was Ha Long Bay. We opted for a day trip to Ha Long Bay, and to make it easier for us, we bought this trip from Get Your Guide.
The day trip to Ha Long Bay included transportation from Hanoi to Ha Long, an absolutely delicious lunch on the boat, a boat ride, some activities such as canoeing or riding a small bamboo boat, but also a stop at Thien Cun Cave. Probably the best option would have been a two-day trip to Ha Long Bay, but we can assure you that even a day trip is very enjoyable.
On the other days, I walked around The Old Quarter, the neighborhood where I was staying, and also The French Quarter; I visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (only from the outside because I arrived shortly after closing time) and the Ho Chi Minh Museum, where, for 40,000 VND, you can understand a little better what Ho Chi Minh meant to Vietnam. If you ask me, the museum is a great piece of propaganda that goes perfectly with the flags you see everywhere in Hanoi.
Next to the Mausoleum, I also found the One Pillar Pagoda (Pagoda with a single “leg”). On the big day, I went to Beer Street, a street full of restaurants and bars, where I watched the grand final match with bated breath. Us, a nice couple from Israel and a few thousand other tourists and locals.
That evening was one of my favorites. I didn’t miss the massage either – it was the first time I had ever had a massage. In the city center, there are a lot of places where you can get both relaxation and Thai massage, and prices start at 200,000 VND for an hour of relaxation massage. Just like in the market, everything is negotiable here.
As for the food, we tried the famous Bun Cha with crab rolls. This is a dish with origins in Hanoi, which has become our favorite (and Obama's). We also tried pho bo – also with origins in Hanoi – but it wasn't to our taste. Also in Hanoi, we ate a lot of banh mi with grilled pork, green papaya and carrots. What we missed, however, was the egg coffee.
Ho Chi Minh
I took a domestic flight from Hanoi to Saigon. I flew again with Vietnam Airlines, and this time I traveled on a large plane (in 3-4-3 configuration), had breakfast on the plane and arrived at my destination 2 and a half hours later. After these 4 cold days, I was looking forward to reaching the south, where 35 degrees celsius awaited us.
The south of Vietnam is a completely different story. We found airier streets, a cleaner city and, although it is said to be one of the busiest cities in SE Asia, we thought Hanoi surpassed it. Ho Chi Minh or Saigon is a more modern city, with some skyscrapers, neater buildings and many churches that originated during the period when Vietnam was under French occupation.
So, for 3 days I walked around the city and took a day trip to the Mekong Delta.
Transport in Ho Chi Minh
To get from the airport to the city center (Ben Thanh Market), we had several options, but this time we chose the bus. A bus trip that has only one stop at the airport (we are not talking about the "express" ones), costs 5000 vnd, and the trip takes 20 minutes. It is important to have the exact amount because tickets are bought directly on the bus, in cash.
Accommodation in Ho Chi Minh
And this time I opted for a hotel in the city center, near Ben Thanh Market. We didn't have exceptional conditions, but the location was excellent, and the price was really good (18 euros/night).
Itinerary and tourist attractions
- Notre Dame Cathedral – built when Vietnam was still part of Indochina and under French influence. The exterior was built with materials brought from Marseille, and the clock on the main facade is from Switzerland. It is a magnificent cathedral, completely covered in scaffolding.
- The Saigon Post Office, from where I sent postcards home.
- The Reunification Palace represents for the locals an important moment in history, that of the end of the war and the reunification of the country.
- Ben Thanh Market – a huge market where you can buy souvenirs, fake clothes and food. Here you have to put your negotiating skills into practice.
Jade Emperor Padoga – it is a place with a fantastic energy, a small refuge.
In terms of tourist attractions, we also need to mention a few museums: War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City Museum and Museum of Vietnamese History.
From a culinary point of view, the traditional dish of southern Vietnam is “com tam” (broken rice). It is a dish invented by the working class in the south of the country and consists of the following ingredients: rice, egg, pork and vegetables. If you are craving a croissant, make a stop at Soko Bakery (a huge croissant costs 5 euros, but it is absolutely delicious)
Day trip to the Mekong Delta
And this time we opted for a group trip, which we also booked on GetYourGuide. We were picked up from our hotel, took a bus to Tinh, a small settlement on one of the 9 branches of the Mekong, and then took a boat ride on the Mekong.
Unlike Ha Long Bay, where everything seems perfect, the trip to the Mekong also introduced us to the problems that the people who still live in the delta face every day. We learned that the Mekong Delta is one of the most polluted rivers in the world and that it is believed to transport tens of thousands of tons of plastic.
The guide told us that some branches of the delta are completely blocked by waste. The guide, born and raised in the delta, also told us that life in the delta is not easy, that many children do not have access to education and that the main occupation of the people is fishing.
We also received some history lessons in which we were presented with all the challenges that the inhabitants of the delta have gone through in the last 50-60 years.
During the trip, we stopped at a coconut candy factory. Coconut is an important ingredient for those who live in the delta, it is also their favorite drink, and the candy is… good-good. After a not very good lunch, we took a short boat ride, where reality hit us hard. The wonderful pictures we see on Instagram have nothing to do with reality.
We also stopped at Vinh Trang Pagoda, probably the largest and most beautiful Pagoda in the south of the country. After another boat ride through the delta, we took a hydration break, with a honey and lime drink and fresh fruit.
The trip to the Mekong lasted all day and is one of those activities that you should not miss if you arrive in Ho Chi Minh City. As soon as we arrived at the hotel, we packed our bags because the next morning we had an 8-hour bus trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Budget for a vacation in Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the cheapest countries I've been to, and the 10 days in Vietnam cost us under 1000 euros, for two people. We apparently spent most of our money on food because this is the category we never skimp on. We are gourmets, and in Vietnam food was our hobby.
We also ate at Japanese restaurants, where the prices were significantly higher, but also at an American restaurant, which turned out to be a failure. Coconuts and fruit juices cost an average of 25,000 vnd.
For accommodation, we had an average of 17 euros/night, and in the activities chapter we included the trip to Ha Long Bay, the trip to the Mekong Delta, museum entrances, massage and entrance to Ba Na Hills in Da Nang. All activities and entrances cost us 105 euros/person. As for transportation, for the flights Da Nang – Hanoi and Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh we paid 27 and 54 euros/person, respectively.
I don’t know if we spent a lot or a little, but compared to the number of activities we did, the accommodations that were quite good and all the food we tried, we think we came out pretty well.
Of course, the budget differs from one traveler to another, and reading several articles on this topic, you can actually see how different we are.
That's why, as I always say, all the numbers you see are for a travel style (some want more comfort, others eat just enough to survive, some eat more or others buy more beers :D), and the budget of a vacation depends a lot on factors such as: the traveler's preferences in terms of accommodation, the price of airline tickets, the period of the trip and its duration (a longer trip allows you to be a little more flexible).
Final Words
Vietnam, the country of smiling people, coriander-rich soups and a turbulent history, was my travel dream, as I like to say. There are not enough words to express the joy I felt on my first morning in Da Nang, the enthusiasm with which I set off for Ha Long Bay and the gratitude I have for everything Vietnam has offered us.
And maybe it wasn't my favorite country, maybe at times the image I had wasn't reflected in the reality of the place, but the experiences I had are unique and memorable. I will always remember the scooter ride, the famous hot grill that I was preparing on the street corner (literally, the location was on a street corner, near our apartment in Hanoi) or the day in Ha Long Bay.
